Hibiscus plant named ‘Maple Sugar’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Hibiscus  plant named ‘Maple Sugar’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; relatively large burgundy-colored leaves; and burgundy-colored flowers.

Botanical classification: Hibiscus acetosella.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Maple Sugar’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofHibiscus, botanically known as Hibiscus acetosella, and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Maple Sugar’.

The new Hibiscus is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Portland, Oreg. The objective of the breeding program isto create new Hibiscus cultivars with attractive leaf and flowercoloration.

The new Hibiscus originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in Mexico in October, 2000, of two unnamed selections ofHibiscus acetosella, not patented. The cultivar Maple Sugar wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plantwithin the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledenvironment in Mexico in November, 2000.

Asexual reproduction of the new Hibiscus by vegetative cuttings in acontrolled environment in Portland, Oreg. since December, 2000, hasshown that the unique features of this new Hibiscus are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Maple Sugar has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature andlight intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Maple Sugar’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Maple Sugar’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.    -   2. Relatively large burgundy-colored leaves.    -   3. Burgundy-colored flowers.

Compared to plants of the parent selections, plants of the new Hibiscushave slightly larger leaves and more intense leaf and flower colors.

Compared to plants of the other selections and cultivars of Hibiscusacetosella known to the Inventor, plants of the new Hibiscus haveslightly larger leaves and more intense leaf and flower colors.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Hibiscus, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Hibiscus.

The photographs at the top left and right of the sheet comprise frontand side perspective views of typical flowers of ‘Maple Sugar’.

The photograph at the center of the sheet is a close-up view of typicalflowers of ‘Maple Sugar’ with the corolla removed.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspectiveview of a typical plant of ‘Maple Sugar’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in an outdoor nursery in Bonsall,Calif. during the late spring under conditions which closely approximatecommercial production. During the production of the plants, daytemperatures ranged from 18° C. to 38° C. and night temperatures rangedfrom 13° C. to 18° C. Plants were about seven to eight weeks old whenthe photographs and the description were taken. Plants were pinched twotimes. In the description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Hibiscus acetosella cultivar Maple Sugar.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female or seed parent.—Unnamed selection of Hibiscus            acetosella, not patented.        -   Male or pollen parent.—Unnamed selection of Hibiscus            acetosella, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 10 days at            temperatures of 35° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 15 days at            temperatures of 25° C.        -   Time to develop roots, summer.—About 35 days at temperatures            of 35° C.        -   Time to develop roots, winter.—About 45 days at temperatures            of 25° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous; freely branching; moderately            dense; whitish in color.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Perennial subshrub. Upright and            outwardly spreading plant habit; open plant form; inverted            triangle. Vigorous growth habit.        -   Branching habit.—About six lateral branches per plant;            pinching enhances lateral branching.        -   Plant height.—About 52 cm.        -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 64 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 40 cm. Diameter:            About 6 mm. Internode length: About 6.5 cm. Texture:            Immature, slightly pubescent; mature, smooth. Color: 187A.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, single. Length:            About 7 cm. Width: About 8 cm. Shape: Three to five-lobed;            lobes deeply dissected. Apex: Acute. Base: Acute to            attenuate. Margin: Serrate to crenate; deeply incised;            undulate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth;            glabrous. Venation pattern: Palmate. Color: Developing            foliage, upper surface: 187A. Developing foliage, lower            surface: 183A. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 200A            with a slight dark olive green, 147A, cast. Fully expanded            foliage, lower surface: More gray than 187A. Venation, upper            and lower surfaces: 187A. Petiole: Length: About 6.5 cm.            Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Rough. Color, upper surface: 187A. Color, lower surface:            183A. Leaf stipules: Quantity: Two per leaf. Length: About            1.2 cm. Width: About 4 mm. Shape: Linear. Color: 187A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement.—Flowers arranged singly at terminal leaf            axils. About one open flower and seven to eight flower buds            per lateral branch. Flowers face mostly outward. Flowers not            fragrant.        -   Flower appearance.—Rounded, dark burgundy-colored flowers.            Flowers are open for about one day. Flowers persistent.        -   Natural flowering season.—Usually spring and summer or            during periods of warm weather.        -   Flower diameter.—About 9.5 cm.        -   Flower length (height).—About 6.5 cm.        -   Flower bud.—Length: About 3.8 cm. Diameter: About 1.4 cm.            Shape: Elliptical. Color: 187A.        -   Petals.—Arrangement: Corolla consists of five petals that            are fused at base. Length: About 5.8 cm. Width: About 4 cm.            Shape: Obovate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin:            Entire; ruffled. Texture, upper and lower surface: Smooth,            glabrous; velvety. Color: When opening and fully opened,            upper surface: 187A. When opening and fully opened, lower            surface: 187B.        -   Sepals.—Appearance: Five sepals fused into a tubular            star-shaped calyx. Length: About 1.7 cm. Width: About 8 mm.            Shape: Elliptical. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture,            upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface:            Slightly coarse; pubescent. Color, upper surface: 148B            tinted with 187D. Color, lower surface: 187C.        -   Bracts.—Appearance: About ten in a single whorl. Length:            About 1.8 cm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Linear; clawed.            Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Scattered pubescence towards margins. Color, upper            and lower surfaces: 187A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Angle:            About 45 to 60° from vertical. Strength: Strong, flexible.            Texture: Smooth. Color: 187A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: About 30 per            flower. Filament length: About 3 mm. Anther shape: Oval.            Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther color: 187A. Amount of            pollen: Scarce. Pollen color: 172A. Gynoecium: Quantity: One            per flower. Pistil length: About 3 cm. Style length: About            2.1 cm. Style texture: Smooth, waxy. Style color: Close to            10D overlain with 59C. Stigma appearance: Five-parted,            rounded. Stigma diameter: About 1 mm. Stigma color: 187A.            Ovary color: Close to 10D overlain with 59C. Seed/fruit:            Seed and fruit production has not been observed.-   Temperature/tolerance: Plants of the new Hibiscus have been observed    to tolerate temperatures from 0 to 42° C.-   Disease tolerance: Plants of the new Hibiscus have not been observed    to resistant to pathogens and pests common to Hibiscus.

1. A new and distinct Hibiscus plant named ‘Maple Sugar’, as illustratedand described.